Arrival and information

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The bus station is 1km west of the centre on the road to Baños, from where it’s a short taxi ride ($1) or fifteen-minute walk into town. Some buses drop passengers at the Gasolinera Coka instead, at Avenida 20 de Julio and Cotopaxi, about six blocks north of the centre, also served by plenty of taxis. Downtown Puyo is compact and entirely manageable on foot, but if you need a taxi you’ll find plenty of yellow ones and white camionetas lined up on 9 de Octubre and Atahualpa, charging around $1 for journeys within the town.

For tourist information, head for the Oficina de Turismo (Mon–Fri 8am–12.30pm & 2–6pm; t 03/2885122, w http://www.pastaza.net) on the first floor of the Municipio, on the corner of 9 de Octubre and Francisco de Orellana. It doesn’t have much by way of maps and brochures, but the staff do have copious files detailing attractions around Puyo and throughout the province of Pastaza. Otherwise, the hotels are a good source of advice. Traveller’s cheques can be cashed at Casa de Cambio Puyo, at Atahualpa and 9 de Octubre. The Banco del Austro, Atahualpa and 10 de Agosto, has a Visa and MasterCard ATM and offers cash advance, while the Banco Pichincha, Francisco de Orellana and Atahualpa, also has an ATM. The telephone office is on Francisco de Orellana and General Villamil, and the post office is on 27 de Febrero and Atahualpa. There are several places around the centre offering internet access for around $1 per hour; try ciber@té opposite Hostal Araucano, or Compu-Business on Atahualpa and 10 de Agosto, which has broadband. The Lavendería La Mocita on the corner of 27 de Febrero and Bolívar launders clothes by the kilo.